With over 400 entries coming from 68 countries around the world, the OMG-1 Contest was an incredible success! The overall quality of all the entries was so much higher than we expected, it was extremely difficult to choose the winners. The goal for each contestant was to use the sounds from the Bob Moog Tribute Library in a creative and inspiring way. The Contest and the Library raised record-breaking funds for the Bob Moog Foundation, so a huge thanks to all who participated!
You can still order the Bob Moog Tribute Library. As you can hear in the hands of these incredibly talented artists, it's a truly versatile library to own.
**A Very Special Thanks to our good friends at Moog Music who so generously provided the additional prizes.
Grand Prize Winner | OMG-1
Whidbey Island, Washington
For the top prize of the one-of-a-kind OMG-1, we searched for someone who went "above and beyond." Luckily, our judges were unanimous in selecting Torley Wong, who submitted not just one great piece, but an entire album's worth of outstanding music created with ONLY the Bob Moog Tribute Library and Omnisphere! (along with his wife's voice and his own drum samples). Clearly a huge fan of electronic music, Torley's album is a remarkable, hour-long homage to the history of electronic music genres from the past to the present.
Congratulations Torley, and we hope you enjoy the OMG-1. :-)
Outstanding Achievement Award | Moog Little Phatty
Strasbourg, France
We are huge fans of multi-instrumentalist David Soltany's music. He submitted not one, but THREE of the highest-rated entries we received! His electronic piece, "Glitchin' Up" features literally hundreds of Tribute sounds in a rapid-fire collage of micro-fragments. No "stutter software plug-in" cheats were used here either…just hours of painstaking manual editing work. "Mystic Lane" features David's phenomenal guitar work and finally, "Ethereal Vault" showcases him on electric cello with the amazing Lily Jung on vocals. David, you are an inspiration…Enjoy your new Moog Little Phatty synth!
Next Generation Award | Moog Slim Phatty
Berkeley, California
This track totally blew our minds! To say that the sonic and harmonic inventiveness in this unique track is fresh is a massive understatement. When we learned that Eric had, in his words, "exclusively, and with great joy, only used sounds from the Tribute Library and Stylus RMX," our jaws dropped all the way to the floor. Be sure to check out Eric's music - he's doing some of the most cutting-edge and highly-musical electronic work we've heard in a long time. Go crazy with that new Moog Slim Phatty!
Most Original Composition Award | Moog MIDI MuRF
London, UK
When you look at Waen's website, it's obvious he's had a rather eclectic career…and his music is no exception. We absolutely fell in love with this wonderfully quirky piece - full of personality and surprises. Best of all, these unique elements somehow make it more accessible rather than the distancing effect that experimentation can sometimes have on the listener. Waen, we have no doubt that you'll have a great time using your new Moogerfooger MIDI MuRF Pedal with Omnisphere!
CREATIVE EXCELLENCE AWARDS
London, UK
Corey created custom patches working with the Tribute Library, the Core Library and Omnisphere's Synth Oscillators. Fun blend of classic Arcade tones with a great mix. Still in school, Corey's already got serious production chops...definitely one to watch!
Toulouse, France
Killer playing! Gorgeous and lively Metheny/Lyle Mays-influenced track using Grand Piano, Omnisphere, Trilian Bass and some outstanding drum programming with Stylus RMX. Definitely the best piano and classic synth solo in the competition.
Hollywood, California
You might recognize John as the drummer on the hit TV show "Glee." He's also developing some killer production chops using Omnisphere with his band Chase Jordan, who in fact is climbing the charts with this very song!
Studio City, California
Ever imagine what it would sound like if The Meters ever did a "Moog album?" Here it is! This one put a huge smile on our face as it combines both our charity benefit libraries - the Bob Moog Tribute Library and New Orleans Strut. Great vibe, John!
Los Angeles, California
If there were such a thing as a "Supreme Victor of the Loudness War" award, this track would surely get it! Jeff's company does tons of top Hollywood trailers, scoring and games….it's not called "Louder Productions" for nothing, you know! :-)
Tulsa, Oklahoma
The most dynamic track in the competition and 100% Tribute Library. Brought back wonderful memories of 70's Planetarium trips, Lazerium shows and Carl Sagan's old 80's TV show "Cosmos." Beautifully-constructed, ambient orchestration elements!
San Bernardino, California
Brawn Hampton, you rock! Far and away the most fun submission we received, DaBrawny Man makes his case to us in song why he truly deserves the OMG-1 and what he'd do with it! Check out the lyrics….we loved it! :-)
Newtown, Connecticut
Unique and energetic track specializing in some of the more interesting sonorities in the core library of Omnisphere and the Bob Moog Tribute Library. The harmonic textures are really beautiful and offset with excellent rhythmic work with Stylus RMX.
San Clemente / Orange, California
With many "Switched-On" submissions - homages to the great pioneers like Wendy Carlos and Tomita, this piece demonstrated a real understanding of this sonic vocabulary and the lost art of "hocketing." Excellent patch programming - 100% Omnisphere!
Barcelona, Spain
Very impressive use of Omnisphere and the Bob Moog Tribute Library to create a full rhythm groove - all of the drums and percussion in this track are coming from Omnisphere and it has a beautifully organic and evolving vibe to it.
United Kingdom
Outstanding experimental piece created to honor the life of the late and highly influential BBC Sound Artist Delia Derbyshire. Milan Ran, the creator of the piece explains in detail:
"First to say that I have used only sounds from Tribute and the core library that comes with Omnisphere. Well since it is the "tribute time", I decided to make one but this one is dedicated to Delia Derbyshire. I wanted it to have more kind of cinematic approach to depict her life rather than "something in her style" so emphasis is on atmosphere and some important moments of her life as I could find on Wikipedia and in just a few interviews.
After the recording sessions with the real instruments, I generated MIDI files from the original tracks to trigger the Tribute library sounds in Omnisphere.
In short: except for the "radio FX" and the guest VIs, all synth sounds (or them being triggered) derive from the original recordings. This might be more subtle with the acoustic guitar, more clear with the jazz guitar, and very obvious with the trumpet solo, which actually starts with the synth voice with a pre-delay that derives from the original trumpet recording. Don't know if that has been done before, but this is a very cool effect, anyway. Later on, the trumpet continues with the synth sound as delay, and so on.
About the song: A person inherits an old sound device that does not really work properly but only produces all kinds of noise. Nevertheless, that person falls in love with this noise, these radio waves, that she considers them as waves of her heart and wants to listen to them all the time, thus losing interest for other things like cinema, television, or the internet.
Vocals (Indiana Nomma) Trumpet (Mike Ryan) and myself on Nylon Guitar, Jazz Guitar, Background vocals Guest VIs: Stylus RMX (Drums, Congas) Trilian (Double Bass)"
Astoria, New York
This is a great example of the diversity of entries we received from all over the world. Spiro's piece features a Greek island theme and dance called "SYRTO." Omnisphere is combined with authentic bouzouki, baglama, tzouras and doumbek. Hopa! :-)
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
This one is a most interesting concept and recording approach. Michael explains:
"While thinking about what I could contribute to the contest, it came to my mind that there is one thing that a radio shares with a synthesizer: modulation. So I thought: why not write a piece of music, record it, and then "modulate" it with synth sounds? So I did.
After the recording sessions with the real instruments, I generated MIDI files from the original tracks to trigger the Tribute library sounds in Omnisphere.
In short: except for the "radio FX" and the guest VIs, all synth sounds (or them being triggered) derive from the original recordings. This might be more subtle with the acoustic guitar, more clear with the jazz guitar, and very obvious with the trumpet solo, which actually starts with the synth voice with a pre-delay that derives from the original trumpet recording. Don't know if that has been done before, but this is a very cool effect, anyway. Later on, the trumpet continues with the synth sound as delay, and so on.
About the song: A person inherits an old sound device that does not really work properly but only produces all kinds of noise. Nevertheless, that person falls in love with this noise, these radio waves, that she considers them as waves of her heart and wants to listen to them all the time, thus losing interest for other things like cinema, television, or the internet.
Vocals (Indiana Nomma) Trumpet (Mike Ryan) and myself on Nylon Guitar, Jazz Guitar, Background vocals Guest VIs: Stylus RMX (Drums, Congas) Trilian (Double Bass)"
Linz, Austria
By far the most surprising and shocking track we received. Maybe it doesn't seem like it at first…but wait for it. ;-) Zappa would have loved this....